NBA 2019-20 thread.

Ok. They also benefitted from doing the whole deal in Canada - which was smart.

 

No doubt. Canada sort of forced the NHL's hand in that regard with closing the U.S. border. Anyway, congrats to both leagues for getting it done.

 

I think Michael Porter is the wild card of the Western Division next year.

 

I am a huge basketball fan and I thought the level of play was really good. That being said, I never got used to the lack of a crowd — they did a really good job with the camera angles and the presentation, but there was something missing, especially during so many amazing clutch moments.

 

I still kind of wish they went the other way with this, at least for a couple games - No crowd noises, let us just hear sneakers and players bitching at one another and the refs. It could have made for some tense and claustrophobic moments. But, it wouldn't surprise me if I would have found it just too eerie.

 

I agree — sort of what they did with crowd-free soccer in Europe, where viewers could choose whether to have the fake crowd noise.

In some ways, without all of the clutter of the fans and with the slightly lower camera angle, you got to see just how good the players are.

 

I was thinking the same thing; if you wanted to be a “purist”; this basketball playoffs was as pure as it gets. Just the ball and the gym. Forget the travel, the “home court” whistles, it was went back to the youth basketball we all played. I for one enjoyed it and laude LeBron, greatness, and the Lakers, very tenacious defense.

 

Nah, I wouldn’t want to miss your hot takes.

 

The Lakers winning the title in the bubble appropriately capped off what was nothing more than a televised AAU tournament. You had superstar buddies teaming up to make an all-star team. You had the bad teams not advancing out of pool play and on to the bracket. You had no fans at the games. All that was missing was World Wide Wes and smarmy college coaches roaming the sidelines during the games.

 

and why don't they do the jump ball after each basket anymore? back in my day it really gave that proper emphasis to a tall center why I say

 

And a ladder to get the ball out of the peach basket!